Let's all do our part to eat a bit better

Besides the animal welfare issues and health benefits that your article covered, cutting back on meat and dairy is great for the planet too.

For example, eating 100g of meat per day generates two and a half times more greenhouse gases than a vegan diet.

Meat and dairy also require significantly more land and water than plant-based foods.

The good news is that we can eat more sustainably without needing to fully embrace all-out veganism, which can appear as an odd concept to some.

However, the fact of the matter is this – any possible reduction in the amount of meat and dairy that we consume will massively help the planet, as well as improving our health and contributing to better welfare standards.

At Gosport & Fareham Friends of the Earth, we were absolutely thrilled to hear about the Portsmouth Vegan Festival that is taking place this weekend.

One thing that really caught my eye, and that I think is very important, is that there are vegan substitutes for things such as cheese and chocolate, for those of us that are often tempted by such delights.

The fact that the event will include tips on how to make the first steps towards adpiting a vegan lifestyle is something that we are a massive advocate of.

Even just having one vegan meal during the week can seem to be a daunting task though, particularly if we are nervous about cooking new dishes or if we are not used to cooking with some of the ingredients.

That’s why Gosport and Fareham Friends of the Earth has announced that they are launching a new sustainable food group next month, which we have called Let’s Eat Better.

This will be a practical group for cooks and non-cooks alike who want to eat less meat and dairy.

We will all choose recipes together, based on what we would like to try out, taste-test our recipes, learn new skills, share ideas and build up our confidence with vegan cookery.

If you would like to find out more, you are more than welcome to come along to one of our meetings, which will be at the Holy Trinity Church in Fareham and at the Gosport Discovery Centre.

For further information contact Nancy at [email protected].